Merchandise display device



5. J. BERGER ETAL 3,313,585

MERCHANDISE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1965 INVENTQQ 5% J @ERGEE;

JOHN G, QWENQU QH United States Patent Ofiice 3,313,585 Patented Apr. 11, 1967 3,313,585 MERCHANDISE DISPLAY DEVICE Sol J. Berger and John G. Rivenburgh, both of Chicago, EL, assignors to Berger-Rivenburgh, Inc, Chicago, EL, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 473,237 6 Claims. (Cl. 312-259) This invention relates to improvements in a merchandise display device that is capable of displaying for sale several kinds of packaged merchandise.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a merchandise display device for use in conjunction with shopping carts or other supports in which the device comprises a supply chute open at its lower part to permit merchandise housed within the chute to gravitate onto the support to be displayed thereon, and wherein the upper end of the chute is closed off by a shelf with wall members at the margins thereof to retain a stack of merchandise on the shelf in addition to the merchandise in the chute.

It is a further and more specific object of the present invention to provide a merchandise display device having sides that define a supply chute and wherein the top part of one of the sides is folded to extend across the chute to form a shelf, the top parts of two opposite sides being folded to form double thickness top sections that are integral With two opposite edges of the shelf and extend upwardly therefrom for supporting the shelf, and with the upper part of another side extending from the shelf at another edge thereof and cooperating with the double thickness top sections to retain merchandise supported by the shelf.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a merchandise display device that has a hollow body with a top part that is scored so as to be capable of being folded in a manner to form a shelf that is supported at two opposite edges by reinforced walls that extend upwardly from the shelf and cooperate therewith to retain stacked merchandise upon the shelf.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a merchandise display device of the type stated which may be fabricated of fiberboard sheet material and shipped and stored in a flat condition, and thereafter readily erected at the place where it is desired to utilize the same.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a merchandise display device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and illustrated as being used in conjunction with a shopping cart;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the upper end of the device shown in FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the merchandise display device after it has been erected;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 4-4 and 55, respectively, of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top part of the device shown prior to folding certain parts thereof to form the shelf and sides associated therewith;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary perspective views similar to FIG. 6 and showing manner of folding the parts of the display; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the shelf and side associated therewith after the folding has been completed and prior to mounting of the shelf pad onto the shelf.

Referring now in more detail to the drawing, 1 designates the merchandise display device which is suitably cut and scored from a sheet material, such as corrugated cardboard, of a type customarily used for the manufacture of shipping and storage of containers. When erected, the device 1 has a front wall 3 and opposed side walls 4, 5 marginally joined thereto. A back wall 7 is integrally joined to the side wall 4 and extends between the side walls 4, 5. The side wall 5 preferably has a short flap 8 which is folded to lie flush against the back wall 7 and is secured thereto in a suitable manner, as by a line of staples 9. The four walls 3, 4, 5, 7 thus form a rectilinear chute 11 having a large opening 12 at its lower end portion.

The lower portions of the side walls 4, 5 are widened to provide extensions 14, 15 that project forwardly of the front wall 3 and with the edges 16, 17 cooperating with the edge 19 of the front wall 3 to define the chute opening 12. The extensions 14, 15 are widest at their lower ends and adjacent thereto are scored to form inwardly extending base flaps 21, 22. Similarly, the lower end of the back wall 7 is scored to provide an inwardly extending base flap 23 so that the three base flaps 21, 22, 23 constitute a stable footing for supporting the display device 1 in the basket of a shopping cart 25 or on some other suitable support, as desired. Canned, packaged or other goods 26 may be stored within the chute 11. The goods 26 gravitate through the supply chute 11 and opening 12 and into the basket of the shopping cart so that the goods 26 are displayed. As the customers pick up the goods 26, depleting the supply, additional merchandise in the chute 11 gravitates downwardly through the opening 12 to replenish the supply of goods 26 in the shopping cart basket.

The upper ends of the front and side walls 3, 4, 5 are scored to facilitate folding from the position shown in FIG. 6, through the steps shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, to form the shelf 23 and double thickness triangular side wall portions 29, 30, shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 9. The inner members 31, 32 of the side wall portions 29, are integral with and support the shelf 28 being joined thereto along score lines 40, 41.

To form the shelf 28, the box-like display 1 may be set up and placed in the shopping cart basket as far to the back thereof as is possible. The upper ends of the front and side walls 3, 4, 5 are as shown in FIG. 6. At this time the chute 11 may be loaded with the goods 26 up to the level of score 33 which runs transversely across the front wall 3. The front wall 3 also has two scores 35, 36 that extend from the ends of score 33, intersecting at the extreme upper edge of the front wall 3. The side wall upper ends have diagonal scores 38, 39 that run from the ends of the score 33 to the opposite corner junctions of the side and back walls. To form the shelf, the upper end of one of the side walls 4 is folded until the inner member 31 abuts the remaining portion of side wall 3. The folding is facilitated due to buckling and permissible overlapping of the parts that result from the presence of the score lines 35, 38 and the score 40 at the junction of the front wall 3 and side wall 4. In like manner the inner member '32 is folded inwardly against the remaining portion of the side wall 5, the folding being facilitated by the score lines 36, 38 and the score line 41 at the junction of the front wall 3 and side wall 5. Corner openings 42, 42 also facilitate folding by preventing binding of the sheet material in those regions. By pressing the members 31, 32 outwardly against their adjacent wall portions, the shelf 28 is caused to flatten out so that it is then supported in that condition by the members 31, 32. Thereafter, a cardboard shelf pad 43 may be placed upon the shelf 28. This shelf pad 43 is preferably of the same size as the shelf 28 except for a short upwardly projecting flange 44 that rests against the upwardly projecting back Wall extension 45.

A second display of merchandise, such as packages or boxes 47, may then be supported in stacked relationship on the shelf 28. The double thickness side wall portions 29, 30 and the back wall extension 45 facilitate stacking the boxes 47 and also assist in retaining the boxes 47 on the shelf in a neat and attractive display.

When it is desired to replenish the supply of goods 26 in the chute 11, whatever boxes remain on the shelf 28, together with the shelf pad 43, may be removed. Thereafter, the upper end of the display may be unfolded in the reverse order from that described so that the display assumes the condition shown in FIG. 6. When the chute 11 is filled, the successive steps of folding are again carried out to form the shelf 28 and double thickness triangular side portions 29, 3%.

The display is relatively inexpensive to fabricate and easy to set up by store personnel. With the exception of the shelf pad 43, the display may be a single sheet of cardboard.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes we have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the precise construction herein described, the same merely being illustrative of the principles of the invention.

What is new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A merchandise display device comprising an upstanding supply chute having an opening at its lower part to permit merchandise to gravitate through the supply chute and pass outwardly through the opening, a shelf extending across the chute above said opening, walls joined to two opposite edges of the shelf and extending upwardly therefrom for supporting the shelf, and an additional wall extending between the first mentioned walls and projecting upwardly of the shelf and being adjacent to an edge of the shelf that extends between said two opposite edges and cooperating with said first mentioned walls to retain merchandise supported by the shelf.

2. A merchandise display device having sides of sheet material that define a supply chute having an opening in one of the sides that extends from the bottom of the chute upwardly therefrom to provide an opening to permit merchandise to gravitate through the supply chute and pass outwardly through the opening and onto a support upon which the bottom of the chute rests, said bottom having means on at least one of the sides and upon which the merchandise may rest to hold the bottom of the chute against said support, the top part of one of the sides being folded to extend across the chute above said opening to form a shelf, the top parts of two opposite sides being folded to form double thickness top sections that are joined to two opposite edges of the shelf and extend upwardly therefrom for supporting the shelf, and the upper part of another side extending upwardly of the shelf at another edge thereof and cooperating with the double thickness top sections to retain merchandise supported by the shelf.

3. A merchandise display device comprising an upstanding supply chute, said chute being formed by upstanding walls that include two spaced walls and a wall therebetween with a lower edge above the bottom of the chute, said spaced walls having widened portions at their lower ends to form outward extensions that enlarge the lower end of the chute, said extensions having edges that extend to the bottoms of said two sides and cooperate with said lower edge to define a side opening in the chute to permit merchandise to gravitate through the supply chute and pass outwardly through the opening, a shelf extending across the chute above the opening, wall means extending upwardly from the periphery of the shelf, and means for securing the shelf to the wall means.

4. A merchandise display device comprising a supply chute formed of sheet material and having four upstanding sides, one of the sides of the chute being shorter than the adjacent two sides and having a lower edge, said two sides having widened portions at their lower ends that form outward extensions that enlarge the lower end of the chute, said extensions having inturned flaps at their lower ends for engaging a support for the device and for reception of merchandise within the support so that the merchandise maintains the flaps against the support, said extensions having outwardly presented edges that extend down to said flaps and cooperate with said lower edge to define a side opening adjacent to the lower part of the chute to permit merchandise to gravitate through the supply chute and pass outwardly through said opening, the upper end of one of the sides being infolded to extend over the upper end of the chute and form a shelf, portions of the two sides adjacent to two opposite edges of the shelf being respectively integral with the shelf and being infolded against remaining portions of said two sides to constitute supports for the shelf and form double thickness side sections extending upwardly at said two opposite edges of the shelf, and a part of the remaining side extending between the opposite edges of the double thickness side sections and above the shelf so that said part of the remaining side and said side sections form walls that retain merchandise supported by the shelf.

5. A merchandise display device comprising a supply chute formed of sheet material and having four upstanding sides, one of the sides of the chute being shorter than the adjacent two sides and having a lower edge, said two sides having widened portions at their lower ends that form outward extensions that enlarge the lower end of the chute, said extensions having inturned flaps at their lower ends for engaging a support for the device and for reception of merchandise within the support so that the merchandise maintains the flaps against the support, said extensions having outwardly presented edges that extend down to said flaps and cooperate with said lower edge to define a side opening adjacent to the lower part of the chute to permit the merchandise to gravitate through the supply chute and pass outwardly through said opening, the upper end of one of the sides being infolded to extend over the upper end of the chute and form a shelf, upper portions of the two sides adjacent to two opposite edges of the shelf being respectively integral with the shelf and forming hinge lines at the junctions therewith and being infolded against remaining portions of said two sides along lines of fold that run diagonally across said upper portions to constitute sup ports for the shelf and form generally triangularly shaped double thickness side sections extending upwardly at said two opposite edges of the shelf, the part of the one wall that forms the shelf having lines of weakness that permit buckling of said wall part to facilitate it being shifted to shelf-forming position, a part of the remaining side extending between the opposite edges of the double thickness side sections and above the shelf so that said part of the remaining side and said double thickness side sections form walls that retain merchandise supported by the shelf, and a shelf pad on the shelf and fitting between 5 6 the double thickness side sections and having a flap that References Cited by the Examiner extends upwardly alon g said part of the remaining side. UNITED STATES PATENTS 6. A merchandise display device according to claim 1 in which said supply chute comprises sides of sheet ma- 1,725,372 8/1929 R}chman 229-17 terial and in which said opening is in a side and extends 5 1:896721 2/1933 Rlchards 229-37 from the bottom of the chute upwardly thereof, the bot- FOREIGN PATENTS tom of said chute has means on at least one of said sides and upon which merchandise in the chute may rest 1,036,077 4/1953 France to hold the bottom of the chute against a support, and h v the top part of one of said sides being folded to form CLAUDE LE Puma? Emmmer' said shelf. F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MERCHANDISE DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING AN UPSTANDING SUPPLY CHUTE HAVING AN OPENING AT ITS LOWER PART TO PERMIT MERCHANDISE TO GRAVITATE THROUGH THE SUPPLY CHUTE AND PASS OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE OPENING, A SHELF EXTENDING ACROSS THE CHUTE ABOVE SAID OPENING, WALLS JOINED TO TWO OPPOSITE EDGES OF THE SHELF AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM FOR SUPPORTING THE SHELF, AND AN ADDITIONAL WALL EXTENDING BETWEEN THE FIRST MENTIONED WALLS AND PROJECTING UPWARDLY OF THE SHELF AND BEING ADJACENT TO AN EDGE OF THE SHELF THAT EXTENDS BETWEEN SAID TWO OPPOSITE EDGES AND COOPERATING WITH SAID FIRST MENTIONED WALLS TO RETAIN MERCHANDISE SUPPORTED BY THE SHELF. 